"Isn't it fun that the cars stop when you are in the cross walk?"

Coming out of the library in the center of our little town, I overheard a mom saying to her son, as the family walked down the sidewalk, "Isn't it fun that the cars stop when you are in the cross walk?"

It made me smile as I too walked down to Main Street and as I approached the road and stepped into the crosswalk, the cars on both sides stopped. I did my half wave of acknowledgment and proceeded.

I think I was at first caught by the word "fun" in this comment then by the reality of the observation. We aren't a theme park with artificial behavior and sets though this town is more touristy than many due to its many cultural attractions. I often wonder what these tourists think we are as "locals". We are for the most part just like them I came from the library picking up a couple of books and a new book on CD for my commute. I was doing routine errands.

The second part of my thoughts was this person's actual observation. It is state law that cars stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk and the local cops do at times enforce it as do the citizens. Out of state cars that are oblivious, even thought there is a sandwich board sign at the crosswalk saying to stop, will get a comment or shout. It also is just a courtesy. something we practice and something we expect from visitors.

My daughter just came back from a week in Pennsylvania with a youth group and in the city, the chaperones reminded them that the rules aren't the same and cars don''t necessarily stop for anyone.

The flip side are tourists who think this is a theme park and will just walk right out into the street also oblivious that this is a thoroughfare or people who will walk down the middle of some of the streets where shops are. It's a small town with perhaps a slower pace but really, you can't be stupid. Though as I drive through downtown, it is now intuitive and what we teach out teenage drives, to watch the road but also the walkers approaching the road.

So, I am glad if that family is having fun here. Just be safe, be courteous and if you are eating at some of the local restaurants, leave good tips for my kids.

A new years run into town

Its been a quiet New Years Day unique in that there is not prep like Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are things to do if you choose and I expect in the more urban part there is much more activity, but here it is pretty dull, which for a couple days a year is ok.

I am trying to start the year off well and went out for a 4 mile run this afternoon with camera in hand. I haven't been able to keep up a good running schedule with the weather and work schedules, so today was a run/walk/photo version. Better than nothing.

Today I decided to run into the center of town. We live a few miles out from the center of Lenox, which is a small town of about 5,000. The downtown is a combination of residential and several inns and shops and the library and town hall and most of the shops are really geared more to the tourists than us local.




On the way into town, the back way as I think of it, because it is mostly small houses and not the route through the historic district. But there is this neat house with a barn tucked away through the trees.



Though out of sequence of my run, this part of town is tree lined and in the historic district with older houses and the manses though upscale are tasteful. As with many roads like this, it doesn't take much distance before the houses thin out and you are deeper in the woods.



Around the town hall, as with most of down town there is not much going on. Traffic is very light and only a few people out walking around. Tourist season is definitely over and most of the folks visiting are in from the cities for respite with an occasional smattering of locals like me.



Circling around on Main Street, the shops and library (brick building with the cupola). The library use to be the county court house when the town was the county seat many years ago. That designation moved to the city of Pittsfield to the north.



As I have mentioned, there are several inns in town. Converted estates from the gilded age or large farmhouses converted and expanded. This one across from the Church on the Hill, is allegedly haunted by a ghost. I stayed there for the night many years back before we moved here and never met this resident. Given I was here for a job interview, that probably was okay.



The church sits high on a hill overlooking the town center and as most old white churches in New England was the center of much activity in earlier days. Though a couple of miles away, I can hear the sound of the clock chimes on a quiet night.



I have mentioned many times that there are hills upon hills. The circular route into town and back is about 4 miles and on a day like today is pleasant. A good stretch of flat mixed with multiple grades of hill. In warmer weather I have run into town to grab bagels for the company and been back home while they are still warm.




and just a short distance out of the town center, across the main highway and nearer to home, the icy stream bubbles away under the road on its way to the river.